What happened
On May 14, 2009, a Beechcraft 58, registration PT-LXD, was performing a flight from Fazenda Rancho Grande, MT, to Araçatuba, SP. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and one passenger. After approximately three hours of flight, the pilot reported visual contact with the city lights and the runway lights of Araçatuba. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft struck a sugarcane plantation, sliding several meters through the crops before coming to a complete stop.
The impact caused serious injuries to both the pilot and the passenger. The aircraft sustained extensive damage to the fuselage, engines, propellers, wings, and landing gear, rendering it a total loss.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Investigators examined the meteorological conditions, which included a passing cold front and the presence of cumulonimbus (CB) clouds, significantly reducing visibility during the onset of night.
The investigation also reviewed the operational environment at Araçatuba airport, noting that the NDB (non-directional beacon) was non-functional and the radio station was not operating at the time. Furthermore, the lack of visual approach slope indicators at the runway prevented the pilot from having a vertical reference to the terrain during the final approach.
Findings
- Improper Pilot Judgment: The pilot decided to proceed with a visual approach despite adverse weather conditions and the absence of visual glide slope aids.
- Unauthorized Descent Profile: The pilot utilized a descent point created via GPS that had not been officially approved by the competent authorities, leading to a descent that was too far from the airfield.
- Poor Flight Planning: The pilot relied on weather information provided by a hangar employee rather than official meteorological updates and failed to monitor NOTAMs regarding the non-functional NDB and radio services.
- Inadequate Descent Management: The pilot failed to properly manage the aircraft's rate of descent during the final approach, which may have been exacerbated by the potential failure to disengage the autopilot.
- Adverse Weather: The presence of cumulonimbus clouds and the transition to night conditions restricted visibility.
- Infrastructure Deficiencies: The lack of visual approach aids and the non-operational radio and NDB at the destination airport contributed to the difficulty of the approach.